Water-heater.



F. J. RUPPEL.

WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY zo, 1908.

Patented Mar. 15,1910.

Q ff i and utilizeall the heat units produced by FREDERICK JOSEPH RUPPEL, Olli"- CLEVELAND, OHIO.

WATER-HEATER.

To all 'whom it lmay concern.'

Be 1t known thatI I, FREDERICK JOSEPH RUPPEL, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,

have invented cerand useful Improvements in Water-Heaters, and do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. f

My invention relates to a new and improved water heater, the same being' con structed and adapted to operate substanstantially as shown and described and ticularly pointed' out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the burner andthe casing and a side elevation of the water pipes therein. Fig. 2 is avcentral cross sectional elevation of the casing and water column and connecting parts. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional plan view ofthe completevheater, and Fig. l is an edge elevation of the water col umn alone.

The object of the present invention is to provide a. water heater which will absorb tain new the burner within4 the smallest space practical, whereby a relatively small but highly eflicient heater isV obtained, all as will now appear in detail. Thus, B represents a burner, C, ay so-called water column and l) a casing or inclosure therefor.

The invention resides, first, in water column C, and several peculiarities of construction enter into this column which dis tinguish it from me and contribute to its exceptional eilivciency as a water heating medium. Thus, said column iscast throughout in a single piece and' comprised as a unit between its terminals 2 and 3, having pipe connections Said terminals are directly opposite each other top and bottoni and adapt the said columnto be setinto a pipe that is already in position by the side of a kitchen or like water tank by inerelv `removing a section of said pipe to set said column therein, but of course this isY not the vonly use or relation of the said column, and vvit can be placed in anyother position or relation where it may be available and heated waterlis desired. Now, one of thelnovel features of construction in the said column is the body thereof comprising' the suc- Speccation of Letters Patent. Application fusa July 2o, 190s.

vunited by webs 5 par- Iabove the plane all the prior art familiar to .casing I), being Serial No. 444,308.

l cessive and staggered or zig-zag sections indicated by 4. These sections or portions of the complete column lie in approximately horizontal planes and though shown as slightly'inclined between their ends they maybe horizontal if preferred, and are in Patented Mar. 15, 1ero'.

position .to be equally and uniformly eX- posed to the heat from burner B from end to end.l Said sections 4. from one point of View are arranged in pairs, Figs. 2 and et, where there is no joint. and from another point of view they are arranged inparalle'l vertical rows, also seen in Fig. 2. Both views sust-ain the Zig-zag relation, with equal intervening draft spaces through which lthe products of combustion flow to exit G at the top of casing D.

From the point of view of pairs the said sections 4 occupy positions in different vertical and horizontal planes, one being wholly of the other and wholly at one side 'thereof in proportions about as shown, and the disposition of the said pairs is the saine successively in the column from bottoni top. This' arrangement gives each section complete individual exposure to the products of combustion in its zone, and the purpose of the arrangement to intercept and absorb the heat as it iiows over said sections until as the las section is reached practically all the heat will have been taken up in and by said column. The comparatively free space between sei-tions both horizontally and vertically and the inter-play of the products of combustion between theni on this account compels thc surrender of the heat to the said sections and emphasizes the operating value of this construction. The el vows or bends 8 connecting said pairs are at one side or. edge .of the col'- innn and the. elbows or bends t) uniting' the sections in the pairs are at the other ends or edge of the column, and the connection of the sections is continuous between the terminals 2 and 3 already described. r1`l1e webs or cross connections between sections come successively at the opposite ends from perfectly said joints or elbows land make a rigid structure of the column.

The burner B is built into the bottom of provided with a central hole through which the pipe F projects and enters terminal 8 of the column, and casing D has a corresponding opening at its top for pipe E toconnect with terminal 2. Casing D is comparatively narrow between its sides the main supply Vline and enters casing D next above burner B in position to ignite the.

gas therefrom. Said pipe 10 has a valve 12 of its own with a mixer and is independent of the main burner and adapted also to maintain a permanent flame for'keeping the water column warm when the main burner is turned off. In fact this iiame may be maintained permanently and turned as high and as low as desired.

A door 14 is provided on each side of the main casing, so that both sides are equally adapted to be set -to the front, according to the place where the heater iserected. I have said that as between `their ends the said sections or portions 4 are slightly inclined'so as to give a gradual upward rise thereto, but from anotherfview the rspective pairs in themselves are each positioned at substantially degrees to a vertical plane but otherwise lie between parallel and vertical planes, as shownyin Figs. 2 and 4. This also brings eacl section or portion 4v into a different .fertical and .horizontal plane from the one immediately preceding it in the colmnn as well as' from the one next succeed- 1g it therein. l

The casing or jacket D for the water column is original and novel'in several particulars. Thus, the said casing is formedlin two equal halves or sections vertically, and provided each with a semi-circular neck 'portion d at its top adapted to be hung upon collar or extremity 2 of column C. Otherwise the said sections uor sidesare bolted o r otherwise1 i .fixed together at their edges so as to be easily separated .and taken down and erected.

The bottom of said casing closes about pipe F, andis perforated for admission of lairto theburner, and the inside of the casing and i.the doors14 thereon are alike provided with deflectors d horizontally on their inside adapted to* throw the draft inward into the4 path of column C.' Lengthwise ribs 20 are formed on sections 4 above, and below. c

It willv be seen' tiat there is direct coaction between the de lectors d on the sides o f the jacket D, and the water column sections or portionsl t1- successively by reasonof lthe construction' and arrangement of the said parts in relation.y ,to each other and which subserves the purpose I have in .mind

all the heat units in the said column in t e least possible space. To this end the said sections 4 are arranged at an. inclination of about 45 whichever way thefy are'vie'wed in Fig. 2, andhence have dra t 'spaces between adjacentsections as well as between the pairs or portions of each section, and the deflectors d are disposed on the Walls D in such relation and to such pu ose that they will divert the products of com ustion partially Iinward through said open spaces while a portion or say half is permitted to iiow up at the respective sides of the section. Each section is thus entirely surrounded' by the heat and such exposure makes a maximum absor tion of the heat bythe `water column possible and which could not be obtained without the deflectors d and the special construction and arrangement of' the sections 4 as shown.

What Iy claim is 1. In heaters for hot water tanks, a water of absorbini lcolumn having a succession of pairs of straight heating portions arranged substantially .in a horizontal plane from end to end and in parallel vertical planes and said pairs inclined laterally at substantially 45 to a horizontal plane and having open draft spaces between pairs andthe members of each pair, in combination with a casing having flat sides equally spaced fromthe sides of the said column and provided with inclined heat deflectors adapted to direct the products of combustion inward into the spaces between said water column pairs.

. 2. A water heater having a water` column with substantially straight transverse heat-l ing portions in pairs set in a zigzag relation successively from bottom to top, er1-ch pair being directly above the next lower pair in the same vertical plane and at substantially 45 to a horizontal plane, whereby space is afforded for the products of'combustion to ,y fiow entirely around each of said heating portions, in combination with a casing in- 

